A big question for 2022

I think the Ghislaine Maxwell affair is a tragedy for all concerned – the numerous victims who have been scarred for life and the woman herself.

As I have watched the trial unfold and heard more sordid and dreadful details enter the public domain, I have found myself asking the same question: would Ms Maxwell, if she knew how her life would be defined when she reaches the age of 60, change anything in the intervening years to ensure a different outcome?

I think this is a particularly poignant and pertinent question to pose on New Year's Eve, a time when we traditionally create new and improved blueprints for our lives in a bid to erase some of our bad practices, replacing them with behaviours that are good for our mind, body and soul.

And, regardless of our respective ages, it is certainly something we should also be asking of ourselves.

MEDIA MOGUL: Ghislaine Maxwell is the youngest daughter of the late Robert Maxwell.

I used to work for Bob Maxwell, Ghislaine's father when he was the proprietor of Mirror Group Newspapers and one of the world's biggest media moguls. I was employed by The Daily Mirror and Sunday People as an investigative journalist.

In life, Maxwell was a force of nature. To a lesser extent, so are his many surviving offspring.

While he will be forever known as the man who raided the Mirror Group's pension fund to prop up his newspaper empire – something that only became known when he died – he was not all bad. In truth, he was a courageous man who committed many brave acts, particularly during the Second World War, when he was awarded medals for his gallantry and courage.

I suspect Bob Maxwell would have done all he could to have rewritten the script so his legacy was a positive one. Yet none of us can really decide when it is time to leave this world. So, it proved for 'Captain Bob' in the early 1990s. As a result, his name, and that of his family, was forever tarnished. This week, after the latest episode involving a member of the family, I suspect the Maxwell name has now been damaged beyond repair.

As for Oxford-educated Ghislaine, the youngest of the brood, only she knows the true extent of her culpability in the affairs of Jeffrey Epstein. She has been found guilty of sex trafficking by a US jury, and life imprisonment beckons for perpetrators of such crimes.

PARTNERS IN CRIME: Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein left a trail of victims.

I hope Ms Maxwell is now contemplating how she could have changed her life – and how she can atone for whatever crimes she has committed. Even though the rest of her natural life may be played out behind bars, it doesn't mean she has to be a prisoner. She can be locked up and spiritually free at the same time. But only if she is truthful. And that means bearing her soul to a higher authority.

The same can be said for you and me. We, too, need to look upward and thank God for everything we have been given in this life. None of us leads a perfect existence. In my case, perfection isn't even on the horizon, never mind being within touching distance.

Thankfully, those of us who look upward and believe in something greater than ourselves have the chance to reset our lives and apologise for the mistakes we have made. Sincerity and repentance are the only ingredients required. And we don't get the chance to do this once a year; we can do it hourly, or as frequently as we wish.

In truth, I don't take advantage of the opportunity as much as I should. But I do make my peace with God several times every week. As a result, I am stronger, more determined for the challenges of the next day – and I feel more alive.

DEVOTED TO ONE ANOTHER: Ghislaine was Robert Maxwell's favourite child.

So, while you are digesting the latest morsels from the sordid Maxwell case in the next few days and weeks, try turning the focus on to yourself – and pose the question: am I capable of changing my behaviours and turning my life around before it is too late?

It is not easy to do. The world can sometimes seem like it has us held in a vice-like grip. Even so, I bet Ghislaine Maxwell is now regretting many things and wishing she could do whatever it takes to turn the clock back.

We are luckier than she is; we have not yet been 'found out' for our own bad conduct and awful thoughts, however, they may have manifested themselves! But the clock is ticking; it's only a matter of time before something goes wrong – and we all need to remember this when making those resolutions that will help us define 2022.

Happy New Year.

Tony Yorke is deputy editor of Sorted magazine.